INDIAN TRICOLOURED BIRYANI

The National flag of India is officially described in the Flag Code of India as follows: The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron  and that of the bottom panel shall be India green. The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes. It was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly  held on 22 July 1947, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of India. The flag was subsequently retained as that of the Republic of India. In India, the term "tricolour" almost always refers to the Indian national flag. The flag is based on the Swaraj flag, a flag of the Indian National Congress designed by Pingaali Venkayya.

Source : Google

On this special Day Let's Salute our National Flag .

A special nutritious and delicious  Tricoloured  Biryani, prepared to celebrate India's Republic Day, that resembles the Tricolour of our National flag. Try out this aromatic and tasty three types of biryani.A three in one biryani. Saffron layer is Tomato carrot biryani, White layer is coconut milk biryani and Green layer with  amaranth and curry leaves biryani.

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice               - 2 cups

Salt                           - as required
Coconut extract          -4 cups

Ghee                        - 3 or 4 tbl.sps

Bay leaf                    - 1 no

Cinnamon                 - 1 inch piece

Cloves                      - 3 nos

Cardamom                - 2 no

FOR GREEN LAYER

Amaranth leaves                     - small bunch

Curry leaves                           - ½ cup

Garlic                                    - 6 flakes

Small onions                          - 6 nos

Ginger                                   - small piece

Green chilies                          - 3 nos

Salt                                        - to taste

FOR SEASONING

Oil                                - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds                 - ½ tsp

Wash the amaranth and curry leaves and boil with  small onions, garlic, ginger green chillies adding ¼ cup of water.

When it is cooked allow it to cool and grind it to a smooth paste and keep aside.

FOR SAFFRON LAYER

Carrot                                      - 2 nos

Tomato                                    - 1 no

red chillies                              - 2 nos

Garlic                                       - 3 nos

Small onions                          - 4 nos

Coriander powder               - 1 tsp

 Salt                                            –to taste

Boil the carrot and tomato and make puree out of it.

FOR SEASONING

Oil        - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds    - ½ tsp

METHOD

Wash and soak 1 ½ cup of rice for 10 minutes.

Pour four cups of coconut extract and add cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and required salt and pressure cook it with a tablespoon of oil.
Cool  the cooked rice thoroughly and separate the grains.with the help of fork.

Divide the white cooked rice equally into three portions.

SAFFRON COLOURED RICE

Heat a pan and add oil and season it with cumin seeds.

Add the tomato carrot puree, coriander powder and sauté till the moisture is absorbed.

Add the first portion of cooked white rice to the above cooked tomato carrot mixture and mix well and gently.

GREEN COLOURED RICE

Heat a pan add oil and season it with cumin seeds.

Add the ground  amaranth and curry leaves puree,  coriander powder and sauté till the moisture is absorbed.

Add the second  portion of the cooked  white rice to the above green mixture and mix well and gently.

 WHITE COLOURED RICE

Season the cumin seeds and add a tsp of white pepper powder and mix the third portion of cooked white rice to the seasonings and mix well.

ARRANGING RICE LAYERS

Take a medium sized vessel and apply ghee or oil liberally inside and the sides also.

First arrange saffron layer, then white layer and finally green layer.Press each layer of rice firmly and steam in a pressure cooker fo ten minutes..

This rice can also be kept under dhum for 5-10 minutes.

This rice can also be baked in a hot oven for 10 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.

VARIATIONS

For the white layered rice,can add cauliflower.

For the green layered rice can grind together coriander leaves and mint leaves can add cooked beans or cooked green peas.

Spinach also can be  boiled ground and added.